The End of the Console Wars?
The Microsoft Xbox versus Sony Playstation console war is a tale nearly as old as time (or at least as old as most millennials). It’s a battle that’s taken place at both the corporate level and at the grassroots, with Xbox and Playstation fans arguing for decades. Now, with both the Xbox Series X and the PS5 coming out this Fall, ushering in a new era of video games, one would expect the fight to be hotter than ever. But that might not be the case.
In fact, in mid May, Sony Corporation and Microsoft Corporation announced that the two companies will partner on new innovations to enhance customer experiences in their direct-to-consumer entertainment platforms and AI solutions. The two companies will explore development of future cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure to support their respective game and content-streaming services. In addition, the two companies will explore the use of current Microsoft Azure datacenter-based solutions for Sony’s game and content-streaming services.
Related: 10 Video Games We’re Most Looking Forward to Playing in 2020
With Google Stadia premiering last year (Google’s video game streaming service) and video game streaming becoming more common, this collaboration between Microsoft and Sony might be the key to making video game streaming even more viable, ensuring they stay ahead of their joint competitors like Stadia and Nintendo.
The partnership will also explore collaboration in the areas of semiconductors and AI, including development of new intelligent image sensor solutions.
“For many years, Microsoft has been a key business partner for us, though of course the two companies have also been competing in some areas,” explained Kenichiro Yoshida, president and CEO of Sony, in a press release. “I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content.
“Sony has always been a leader in both entertainment and technology, and the collaboration we announced today builds on this history of innovation,” added Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. “Our partnership brings the power of Azure and Azure AI to Sony to deliver new gaming and entertainment experiences for customers.”
While the “Console Wars” will likely continue among users, this collaboration between Microsoft and Sony, along with the release of their respective new consoles this year, will surely usher in a new era of gaming.
